According to the Calorie Control Council, the average American will consume 4,500 calories and 229 grams of fat on Thanksgiving day, a feat worthy of competitive eating accolades on any other day. But that doesn’t mean you can’t stuff your face without testing the fortitude of your new designer jeans. We imagine you’ll want turkey. Cranberry sauce. Potatoes, sure. Gravy. Maybe some veggies on the side. Oh, and pie? Yeah, go for it! But just by making a couple of smart at-the-table swaps you could eat to your heart’s content and still take in 700 fewer calories than you did last year. Now that’s something to be thankful for!
EAT THIS
Turkey Breast Dinner, 6 oz
[731 calories; 61 g protein; 85 g carbohydrates; 20 g fat (11 g saturated); 1,240 sodium]
- 2/3 cup mashed potatoes
- 1⁄3 cup turkey gravy
- 1 dinner roll
- 1 cup green bean casserole
- 1/4 cup homemade cranberry sauce
1 medium slice pumpkin pie with low-fat whipped cream
[335 calories; 151 g fat (6.5 g saturated); 42 g carbohydrates]
NOT THAT!
Dark Meat Turkey Dinner, 6 oz
[1,279 calories; 62 g protein; 159 g carbohydrates; 48 g fat (22 g saturated); 1,890 sodium]
- 1 cup stuffing
- 2⁄3 cup sweet potatoes with marshmallow topping
- 1⁄2 cup corn
- 1 slice jellied cranberry sauce
1 small slice pecan pie
[450 calories; 21 g fat (4 g saturated); 65 g carbohydrates]
Burn Off the Bird
More food is consumed in the United States on Thanksgiving Day than on any other day of the year. Skip the gym and work off the feast with the family. Here’s how:
- Turkey and Gravy: 55 minutes of touch football
- Mashed Potatoes and Gravy: 4.5-mile-walk with the family
- Pumpkin Pie with Whipped Cream: 35 minutes of raking at your parents’ place
- Stuffing: 40 minutes of playing with the kids
- Dinner Roll: 30 minutes of dish washing
- Cranberry Sauce: 50 minutes of movie watching